


somnum exterrērī

by Aylen



Series: a capite ad calcem [13]
Category: 2770 ab urbe condita - Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Rome, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Slavery, Angst, Cuddling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Nightmares, Non-Sexual Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:33:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22687789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aylen/pseuds/Aylen
Summary: Artemis has a nightmare.
Relationships: Julian Valerius/Artemis, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Series: a capite ad calcem [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1283009
Comments: 8
Kudos: 51
Collections: 2770 ab urbe condita - the collected fiction





	somnum exterrērī

Artemis wakes with a gasp, pushing himself up from the bed in a cold sweat. He doesn’t know where he is for a second. Wasn’t he…? At the Block. Being chased through the halls by the overseer and running into the building’s dank basement… to hide in a small windowless room. It was wet and cold and there were rats and huge spiders… 

Now, he pants, and feels the cold metal links around his neck, the cool air on his skin. He looks around and sees a man lying beside him, just stirring. Who…? Oh. He knows who that is, and where he is. 

That’s Julian and this is his domus, his bed. Artemis is… safe here. Away from the Block. He shivers, wiping a hand through his hair. He pushes the covers back, trying to cool his naked body, and slips half off the bed, just breathing. 

“Ari,” comes Julian’s sleepy voice, and Artemis flinches reflexively. Julian’s hand comes out to grip Artemis’ wrist and the slave shivers, turning back to him. Julian’s eyebrows draw and he pulls Artemis back a little. “What’s wrong? You look… are you alright?”

Artemis swallows, pauses for a second, and then shakes his head. 

Julian sighs, looking worried. “What is it?”

Artemis looks away. “I… I had a nightmare, Dominus,” he says quietly. 

“Hmm.” Julian rubs his wrist. “Come here,” he says, but Artemis bites his lip. 

“C-could I get some water first?” he asks, and Julian groans but nods, releasing him. 

“Thank you, Dominus.” Ari sighs inaudibly with relief and goes to the adjoining balneum to fill a glass up. He did want water, but he also wanted a moment to breathe away from Julian.

“Bring it here,” comes Julian’s voice, and Artemis hides an exhalation, coming back. On the closer side of the bed, Julian’s lying on his side and motions for him to sit in the space his curled body makes on the bed. Artemis does and Julian wraps one arm around his waist, pulling him flush to his stomach and looking up at Artemis. “Drink,” Julian says, giving him a squeeze and rubbing his back with his other hand. Artemis shivers and nods, leaning into the touch as he brings the glass to his lips. 

He’s already begun to put the overseer out of his mind as he takes a long drink. The water is cool and filling and makes him feel better, and sleepy again. When he’s finished, he puts the glass on the side table and sighs, looking down and putting one hand on Julian’s arm around his waist. Julian pulls him a little closer. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Julian asks considerately, making it an option, and Artemis closes his eyes and puts a hand on his face, suddenly remembering _everything._ He takes an even breath. He shakes his head, knowing he might cry. Julian’s own expression is heartbroken. “Sweetheart, come into bed with me,” he says, moving back and drawing Artemis down so he’s lying in front of him. 

He tucks the covers over both of them and holds the slave warmly, a protective and possessive arm around his waist, nose in his hair. Artemis shivers and snuggles back into him, holding Julian’s arm lightly and closing his eyes. He feels calmer already, and much steadier, and like… he doesn’t have to worry about anything he was dreaming about. 

“Dominus,” he asks quietly, in case Julian’s already asleep. 

“Yes?” comes Julian’s sleepy voice, squeezing him tighter. 

“Have you ever gotten nightmares before?” Ari bites his lip again. Julian is silent for a moment before he nods against Ari’s hair. 

“Yes. When I was younger. When I was a child, and later in my early adulthood. When I was going through a change or experiencing something difficult.” He sighs and squeezes Artemis tighter, kissing his head. 

Artemis swallows thickly, shivering at the touch, and his master’s unexpected vulnerability. He wonders what Julian was going through. 

“I dreamt… I was on a cliff, somewhere out by the ocean, and it was very dark and I was very alone. And I could hear dogs barking, and they were coming for me. For some sin I had committed. And I couldn’t get away and I couldn’t explain, and at the bottom of the cliff I realized… there were people, looking up at me, perfectly sightless and silent.”

Artemis shivers, whining softly before he can stop himself. He doesn’t want to hear anymore. He shouldn’t have asked. 

Julian exhales and squeezes him, stroking his skin lightly, pressing kisses to his neck. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s… alright, Dominus,” Artemis says quietly, and Julian hums. 

“I stopped having those dreams at some point… would you like to talk about yours?” He nuzzles his nose in Ari’s hair, inhaling quietly, and Ari hums, shifting back into him. 

“I… uh… one of the selling block places I was kept at… before I was sold.” He sniffs. “I was being chased by a man… it was cold and dark and wet. I was alone, I could hear him, and I didn’t know where to go or what to do, or what I’d done.” He feels tears at his eyes again and Julian hums, squeezing him and rubbing him. 

“Well, it’s alright. You’re here now, safe here, and you won’t end up at one of those places again if I have anything to say about it.”

Artemis makes a small noise of surprise, a shiver rolling up his spine, and swallows hard. “Th-thank you, Dominus,” he says, and he knows it’s not a promise; it’s not a certainty. It never is when you’re a slave. But it is comforting, for now. 

He glances back at Julian and then after a second’s deliberation he adjusts to move onto his side to look at his master, curled up and peering up at the one who owns him. 

“Mm…” He deliberates, looking carefully into Julian’s eyes. Julian meets his gaze evenly, curious, and Artemis swallows and shifts up, pressing a soft kiss to Julian’s lips. He thinks he should be more scared to attempt such a daring display of affection, but you never know. Maybe Julian would like him taking the initiative 

And he seems to—Julian smiles and kisses him back softly, one hand on his side, rubbing gently. 

“I like it when you kiss me,” Julian says lowly, moving his hand to Ari’s face rubbing his cheek. Artemis swallows, a small smile on his lips. 

“I like kissing you, Dominus,” he says quietly, dropping his eyes and flushing. Julian’s smile widens as he strokes his cheek. 

“Good.” Julian leans in and kisses Artemis again, closing his eyes. It’s soft and warm and Ari melts into it. 

He’s still sleepy though, and as much as he wants to stay awake to explore this new intimacy with Julian, he finds his head on the pillow as he falls into a more restful sleep than he had before—the last thing he’s conscious of is Julian watching over him. 

  


**Author's Note:**

>  **Translations:**  
>  _somnum exterrērī_ \- nightmare/sleep terror  
>  _dominus_ \- master  
>  _balneum_ \- washroom  
>  _domus_ \- house
> 
> ~
> 
> you can also find me on [tumblr](https://aylenwrites.tumblr.com/), [dreamwidth](https://aylen.dreamwidth.org/), and my main [tumblr](https://milarca.tumblr.com/), and [ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milarca)! comments are always appreciated ! ♡


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